Visions for various occasions drive Flint entrepreneur’s design company

It isn’t that strange. You doodle an image, tweak it a bit here and there, and before you know it, you want to put it on a coffee mug.

Of course, what is far more common among design needs is promotion of a business or special event, but you have no idea how to transfer the necessary iconography onto a shirt.

Well, whether you find yourself in one of those positions or any other predicament where an image on clothing, business signs, car decals, wall decals, glasses or hats, Echo Uniquee Designs is available. The company prints images on vinyl, cuts it, then uses heat and pressure to transfer it to the product. All you have to do is email or text the design you want and it is immortalized on the paraphernalia of your choice.

Echo Wofford’s children help their mother handle the growing business demands of Echo Uniquee Designs and are learning valuable skills in the process. Photo by Danen Williams

“I like that it is your design, in your head,” says Echo Wofford, founder of Echo Uniquee Designs.

The story of this enterprise began a year and a half ago when Wofford took a workshop describing the transfer process. She enjoyed it so much that she purchased a heat press, cutting tools, and a special type of printer. Then she started making some shirts for herself.

It wasn’t long before she was asked where she got the clothing and, of course, had to say it was her own work. From there it was a short step to starting her business, while still raising a family and working the third shift at the GM plant.

Ever since then she has relied heavily on word-of-mouth to help her business grow. But that type of basic marketing and work at a full-time job doesn’t mean Wofford hasn’t found success. In fact, Wofford had to stop using business cards for a brief time after demand became too overwhelming. The choice was made to ensure the time and quality can be given to each project.

Products from t-shirts to glasses and party favors are branded by Echo Uniquee Designs, a one-year-old Flint-based company. Photo by Danen Williams

Her talent and management skills have brought Wofford work from as far away as Kansas City where she made shirts that were worn during a pancreatic cancer-awareness walk.

While she was visiting family there, again, someone noticed her clothing. Word of mouth also generated her largest order, a 300-shirt request, when her GM plant members participated in a charity basketball game.

Wofford’s personal touch expands beyond just finding clients, it includes the design process. Her 14-year-old son often helps her. First, he mostly just cut vinyl, but has now started to give input into the design process.

Business has expanded to the point that Wofford’s looking for someone to hire on.

“I’m looking for somebody trustworthy, with a creative eye,” says Wofford, “and who’s willing to learn… and has patience.”

For more information about Echo Uniquee Designs, call (810) 813-0061 or e-mail echouniquee@yahoo.com.